— PM Shehbaz offers to form committee for talks
— Asad Umar welcomes offer, says talks to revolve around date for general elections
ISLAMABAD: Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have agreed to open talks for dissolving assemblies and start preparations for fresh elections and formal talks would begin in a few days.
Well informed sources in both the parties have informed Pakistan Today that the agreement could come after interlocutors players a key role in opening of back-channels in the past few days and these backchannels had resulted in an abrupt and shocking suspension of the Long March announced by Imran Khan early morning on Thursday.
The sources said that talks would soon begin as the government and the opposition are set to name their respective committees to hold talks.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also dropped a hint on the opening of the dialogue between the treasury and opposition benches.
Addressing the members of the Joint Session of the Parliament after the passage of amendment bills, Shehbaz Sharif said that the doors for talks were always open and he could also form a committee for talks [with the PTI] for fresh elections.
“We are open to talks. Dialogue is the trait of politicians. I can constitute a committee [for dialogue]. But, if you think you will pressurize, blackmail or threaten us to leave the government, keep in mind, do it in your own house, not this House”,” reiterated the premier.
The prime minister said if the PTI was merely concerned about the election, they should have come to the parliament for talks.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) general secretary Asad Umar also welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for talks on the date of fresh elections in Pakistan.
Asad Umar said that Shehbaz Sharif should announce a committee for talks on fresh elections along with the proposed date for the polls.
“The economy is suffering with each passing day and the experts are now warning that Pakistan could face a Sri Lanka-like situation within weeks,” he warned and added that it has now become evident that the incumbent government could no longer be dragged and therefore should be brought to end as soon as possible.
The PTI leader said that their talks would only revolve around the single-point agenda of the date for general elections in the country.
“We could also discuss other agendas of the government but election date remains a priority,” he added.
It merits mention that the federal government had been very strongly opposing any possibility of fresh elections. This had led PTI Chairman Imran Khan to take out a long march which was largely attended by PTI workers despite use of brute force by the federal and provincial governments.
